When will this shit end?

[Ozanne]

Johnson’s announcement is at 11 today btw. 

[zeppelin]

1 hour ago, Sasperella said:

I think you're completely right. 

I don't think our offices expect us back before the end of the year, despite what Boris says. Some people can go back if they want, sure, but not everyone. There's no room for us at the best of times, let alone with social distancing!

One of my bosses lived in Inverness and frequently travels between Glasgow and London (most days she is in one of the other). For her (and her kids!) Working at home all the time is great! 

Interestingly, I also recently applied for a job in the London office. I wouldnt have done that a few months ago, as the expectation would have been that I'd move to London. But I spoke to the vacancy manager about it beforehand, and she said it would now be perfectly fine to continue being based from Glasgow. Mental (but great, obviously)

Yeah my work have basically said we won't be back in the office this side of '21. And they're accelerating plans for most people to WFH 3 or 4 days a week whatever happens - in fairness 2 days in the office would be ideal for me. They were actually in the process of downsizing my office so in a round about way this has almost given me more job security.

It's going to be weird when I recruit though as it will be across all locations and trying to train someone up whilst not being in the same room could be tough.

[eFestivals]

18 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

Johnson’s announcement is at 11 today btw. 

finish early Friday, innit?  

[Quark]

3 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

finish early Friday, innit?  

I'm going to be on here and following you on Twitter today, 'cos if he uses the 11am slot to announce his wedding I'm just going to sit back and watch the fireworks

[eFestivals]

6 minutes ago, Quark said:

I'm going to be on here and following you on Twitter today, 'cos if he uses the 11am slot to announce his wedding I'm just going to sit back and watch the fireworks

nah, don't think that'll be announced until after it's happened.

[DeanoL]

2 hours ago, Superscally said:

They do, but it's mitigated for in years preceding, not following. They and their accountants aren't daft and they have over 6 mill in the bank. They'd need three more fallow years in a row with the same outgoings (which wouldn't be anywhere near the same on a second fallow year as they won't have suppliers to pay) to even be close to going under. The old adage that you never see a poor farmer is no longer true due to the scandalous treatment they get from the supermarkets, but trust me, you will never see a poor farmer holding a massive world renowned festival.

Well yeah, it's mitigated for in the years proceeding, as in they build up reserves over the years the festival is on to cover the fallow year. Problem is last fallow year was in 2018, so there's only been one year of profits since then, plus what was left over.

You're right we know what they lose in a normal fallow year (about 2 million) and that they have 6 million in the bank. What we don't know is what they've lost this year to unrecoverable costs. And indeed what's already booked in and unrecoverable for next year. I think they would survive another year off, just about, if they make the call on that in the next couple of months. But that would also wipe them out and leave them in an precarious position.

Although in some ways, it'd be even worse to run the festival and have the tickets not sell due to a lack of public confidence in attending such an event. I know all of us here find that ridiculous as an idea, but people who go to Glastonbury are the same people as are not going to pubs etc. right now. 

[Crazyfool01]

3 hours ago, steviewevie said:

I've only been to supermarket once since the announcement was made about masks and definitely more customers were wearing then, I'd say about 60-70%, previously I would guess at about 20%. Most people working there weren't wearing masks.

30 %- 40% customers .... 2% staff would be my assessment today wearing them 

[efcfanwirral]

Giving the NHS more money as a way to reassure the public its ok to spend sounds very much like expanding the number of acceptable deaths in a second wave, and an acceptance that's pretty likely to happen but the economy is more important (which at this point it probably is) 

Wonder how honest he'll be about that though....

[Zoo Music Girl]

33 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

Well yeah, it's mitigated for in the years proceeding, as in they build up reserves over the years the festival is on to cover the fallow year. Problem is last fallow year was in 2018, so there's only been one year of profits since then, plus what was left over.

You're right we know what they lose in a normal fallow year (about 2 million) and that they have 6 million in the bank. What we don't know is what they've lost this year to unrecoverable costs. And indeed what's already booked in and unrecoverable for next year. I think they would survive another year off, just about, if they make the call on that in the next couple of months. But that would also wipe them out and leave them in an precarious position.

Although in some ways, it'd be even worse to run the festival and have the tickets not sell due to a lack of public confidence in attending such an event. I know all of us here find that ridiculous as an idea, but people who go to Glastonbury are the same people as are not going to pubs etc. right now. 

It doesn't sound that ridiculous to me - 2008 really wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of things.

I'm more in the camp of it will go ahead, but I think what will make it tricky for them is the forward booking of suppliers, staff, acts etc. At what point do they have to start doing that?

[Zoo Music Girl]

10 hours ago, FestivalJamie said:

Are people finding proportions of people wearing masks are increasing, or not?

So I went down to Portsmouth and Hayling island for a trip to the seaside today.

First experience: Saw an absolutely rammed bus full of people getting off to transfer across to the ferry to the Isle of Wight. 100% of people were wearing masks, didn’t see one without one.

Second experience: Walked past a co-op and most entering or inside the store weren’t wearing a mask. I assume people won’t start getting with the program until they are actually compulsory? I’d expect uptake to shoot up in a weeks time but I don’t get why people aren’t wearing them now.

Third experience: A bus went past in Hayling island and I counted the number of mask-wearers. 75% compliance, not bad (3 out of the 4 on it).

Fourth experience: Stopped at a service station on the way home and I was the ONLY one wearing a mask. I realised this is where the policy is SO unclear:

In the service station there were 2 shops, one being m&s, a Burger King and toilets. I was going to the m&s to get a drink on the way home, so according to new guidelines (rules as of 24th) I “should” be wearing a mask to enter m&s. There was another man in m&s with me not wearing one, I stayed well clear. All of the people lining up for Burger King weren’t wearing masks, but they are getting takeaway food, so according to the new policy they don’t have to wear one. Similarly people were using the toilets without wearing masks. But this brings me onto my point.

In the service station we are ALL in the same enclosed space, breathing the same air, and any virus droplets can easily travel from one part of the service station to another, as shops don’t have individual doors and it’s all one large space. If the virus is airborne this means a carrier could pass the virus from the queue of Burger King and it could linger in the air for example for someone in m&s to pick up? Correct me if this isn’t how it works, but my point is, we are all in the same bloody enclosed room in a service station, so why do only the people in particular areas of the service station have to wear masks and not others. Actually in the majority of areas of the service station masks weren’t needed according to the new policy, so then they might as well say you don’t even need a mask in a service station anymore.

Sorry, I don’t know if any of that made any sense, but I’ve just been more infuriated today about how little sense these new policies make and how you can be standing in the same indoor building and in one place not have to wear a mask but in the next you have to wear one.

In Portsmouth, there was also an aquarium which had a gift shop. Masks weren’t compulsory in the aquarium. So do you not have to wear a mask around the enclosed aquarium and you’re going to pass the germs onto the same people around the aquarium as you are likely browsing the gift shop with if you walk round at similar pace, but all of a sudden when you get to the gift shop you just whip the mask on for a couple of minutes?

Its absurd. It needs to be all enclosed spaces(perhaps excluding table service places like restaurants) or none, otherwise the rule just won’t work.

 

 

The issue with this is that presumably the Burger King etc are eat-in venues, so people will have to take their masks off to eat. So once you have that issue it starts to get a bit complicated. I agree that masks should be enforced walking around etc but it gets tricky to legislate which bits of the eat-in/takeaway you have to wear a mask and which bits you don't.

[DeanoL]

5 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

It doesn't sound that ridiculous to me - 2008 really wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of things.

I'm more in the camp of it will go ahead, but I think what will make it tricky for them is the forward booking of suppliers, staff, acts etc. At what point do they have to start doing that?

There's likely a difference between when they would want to do that, and when they would have to do it. They probably want to have most acts locked down early, but they don't *have* to. Part of the scenario planning they're doing at the moment is presumably "how late can we leave this and still be relatively safe". It may mean risking not getting your first preference supplier but this year's non-event isn't necessarily an indicator. There will have been non-refundable stuff they booked before it all kicked off that they could have easily left booking until March, but you don't because internally your plan is to get those things in place far earlier.

[FestivalJamie]

10 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

30 %- 40% customers .... 2% staff would be my assessment today wearing them 

That’s higher than it has been previously though, so it’s an improvement, I expect compliance to shoot up to 90% as of Friday when it becomes mandatory, I just don’t get why people aren’t wearing them already.

Theres going to be 5% of the pop who are medically exempt, and then there will be another 5% who just don’t give a s***. So I realistically think as of Friday we should be looking at 80-90% compliance, which is good enough to suppress transmission massively.

1 minute ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

The issue with this is that presumably the Burger King etc are eat-in venues, so people will have to take their masks off to eat. So once you have that issue it starts to get a bit complicated. I agree that masks should be enforced walking around etc but it gets tricky to legislate which bits of the eat-in/takeaway you have to wear a mask and which bits you don't.

I understand it gets tricky, I’m just saying that I’m still feeling like the odd one out wearing a mask in there when it’s becoming mandatory as of Friday... and it made no sense which parts it was mandatory in given the new rules still haven’t really been clarified. It feels silly that in one part of the building masks are mandatory and then another they aren’t. I guess similar would hold true for shopping centres but normally cafes like costa hold their own separate unit when masks could be removed, but I assume they would be mandatory across the whole shopping centre.

My aquarium example I think more highlights why I think the policy is so crazy. The fact that you could be in an aquarium, or equally museum and not have to put on a mask until you get to the gift shop at the end baffles me.

Yesterday on the Southsea seaside I also had a look in the arcade to see if people were wearing masks, it was probably maybe 5% of people wearing them. 

I’m really surprised the policy hasn’t been extended to arcades, museums and libraries. It feels so pointless having compulsory masks in one indoor space and not another.

[efcfanwirral]

https://metro.co.uk/2020/07/17/matt-hancock-calling-urgent-review-exaggerated-coronavirus-death-toll-13002134/

I hope that whenever he concludes its overblown and over exaggerated that he also has an explanation for the excess deaths figures, and doesn't sweep those under the carpet and leave the public thinking there isnt anything to worry about.

I'm absolutely sick of this "deaths FROM covid vs deaths WITH covid" shit that I keep having to hear from people I know who I thought were sensible. 

SOMETHING is killing that many more people than last year...

[FestivalJamie]

2 hours ago, mattiloy said:

An article in a swedish newspaper today reckoned immunity could be as high as 40% amongst Stockholmers - 20% with antibodies of those tested so far and studies showing that those without antibodies but with a t cell response being the same so another 20%. Quotes one maths prof who reckon herd immunity can be reached as low as 45% so we’re nearly there and this is evidenced by lower new cases.

I’m skeptical, i reckon the less new cases is probs a seasonal effect, but nice to read a more positive take.

https://www.dn.se/nyheter/sverige/fhm-stockholm-kan-ha-40-procents-immunitet/

I've personally seen no evidence that the virus is seasonal, I mean yesterday was the highest ever daily increase in virus cases worldwide, and they are soaring in the USA. Even Europe had a pretty high day for cases compared to usual.

Regardless, I thought it had been proven antibodies only last a few months and after that they start to fade? So if they have a 45% immunity right now, it's going to start falling in a couple of months time. From what ive heard herd immunity is practically impossible and unviable, hence why the UK aren't "going for herd immunity" anymore.

[Ozanne]

Press conference time!

[pryce]

7 minutes ago, FestivalJamie said:

I've personally seen no evidence that the virus is seasonal, I mean yesterday was the highest ever daily increase in virus cases worldwide, and they are soaring in the USA. Even Europe had a pretty high day for cases compared to usual.

Regardless, I thought it had been proven antibodies only last a few months and after that they start to fade? So if they have a 45% immunity right now, it's going to start falling in a couple of months time. From what ive heard herd immunity is practically impossible and unviable, hence why the UK aren't "going for herd immunity" anymore.

pretty sure anitbodies always fade, but they are there and ready to boost back up if infected again? they have a memory?

[Homer]

5 minutes ago, Ozanne said:

Press conference time!

Locked!

[eFestivals]

So Spaffer is bored with it, it's not govt responsibility now.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Setting out a new timetable? What else is going on it? Eyebrow salons?

[zahidf]

 

[Homer]

Today, anyone can use transport; 25 July, gyms, etc ; 1 Aug, more advice for employers re homeworking, etc, plus other leisure facilities.

Live performances and open air large gathering from 1 Aug.

Sept, schools and colleges to reopen part-time.

Oct, stadiums and conferences. 

[Zoo Music Girl]

News to me that you weren't allowed to use public transport until now! Thought that was always just advice.

[Ozanne]

Hmmm....

’we wanted to give more assurance to employers’. Yeah whilst taking the assurance away from the workers. Very unnerving. 

Edited July 17, 2020 by Ozanne

[Homer]

QUICK, SOMEONE ORGANISE A FESTIVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zahidf]

December, all back to normal